Morning Brew: Horoscope, Dear Abby, Dr. Donohue and today in history

Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011 ARIES (March 21 to April 19) You likely will meet an unusual person today, perhaps in a group setting. This person might lead you to change your future goals.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Quite likely, you will be in the public eye briefly today. Bosses, parents, teachers and VIPs will notice you. Just be aware of this. (Check your zipper.)

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Travel plans might be canceled or delayed today. Alternatively, you suddenly might get a chance to take a trip! (It could go either way.) Higher education also will be interrupted.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Check your bank account. The wealth of others might affect you today, either favorably or unfavorably. Definitely keep an eye on your money.

LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22) Partners are independent and rebellious today. That’s why they suddenly might shock you by doing something completely different or unexpected.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) Your work schedule will be interrupted by computer crashes, power outages, fire drills, staff shortages and canceled appointments. Unexpected change is par for the course today. Just go with the flow.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22) This is an accident-prone day for children in your care, so be extra vigilant. However, surprise romance might catch you off guard. Woo, woo!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21) Your home routine will be interrupted today, because small appliances might break down or minor breakages could occur. Surprise company might drop by. A family member might have surprising news.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21) This is an accident-prone day for your sign, so be careful. This influence is mild, but it’s there. On the upside, expect to meet new faces and see new places!

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18) You feel restless! You want the freedom to do your own thing today. You want to spread your wings and fly. Well, if you can do this, great. Nevertheless, most people have responsibilities; that’s just a reality.

BORN TODAY — You have a strong sense of justice and often are a champion for the underdog. You work for social change. You work well with others, who find you to be fun-loving and productive. You’re quick to defend your rights and the rights of others because fairness matters to you. In the year ahead, you will begin a fresh new cycle. Open any door!

Dear Abby

DEAR ABBY: I met my husband, “Jerome,” two years ago. During our courtship, he helped me to find faith. Because of that, I wanted a completely honest relationship with him and confessed to a “less than moral” experience that occurred several years before I met him. Apparently he was able to accept it, because he proposed and we have been married for several months.

Recently, however, Jerome has been saying it’s bothering him and he doesn’t know how to let it go. I’m angry and hurt that something that happened long ago is now causing problems in my marriage. It has made me question why I was honest with him.

I’m afraid Jerome will never forgive me. He says he feels as though he has to compete with my past and doesn’t feel he can live up to it. How do I tackle this problem? I can’t change my past, I can’t take back what I told him, and I can’t do anything to change my husband. Please help. — HAUNTED BY THE PAST

DEAR HAUNTED: First, stop apologizing. You are the sum total of all your experiences, and that’s the woman he married. Tell your husband you will not accept anything less than marriage counseling NOW. He knows about your “experience” because you leveled with him. Make it clear that this isn’t a contest, and he’s all you want in a man. If he can’t accept it, there is no basis for a marriage, and frankly, little hope for a future together.

DEAR ABBY: My granddaughter, who is 18, had a child last year. She kept the baby and dropped out of school. She is now working and has returned to school to get her GED. My husband has always loved her and helps her financially.My problem is she has twice stolen from a fund I keep for our church. Although she is the only one who could have done it, my husband refuses to believe it. I now insist on locking everything up.

Abby, if she had asked for the money either time, her grandfather would have given it to her. I think she gets an adrenaline rush from stealing. What can I do about this? — AT A LOSS IN SOUTH CAROLINA

DEAR AT A LOSS: Where are your granddaughter’s parents? Are they aware of what has been going on? If not, please inform them because if she’s stealing from you for the adrenaline rush, she is probably also doing it elsewhere. Someone needs to see that the girl receives counseling before her behavior lands her in serious trouble. And in the meantime, she should not be left alone in your home.

DR. DONOHUE

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Recently you discussed atrial fibrillation. As you can see from the attached information, my husband has had many medical problems. In the early months of this year, he developed atrial fibrillation. A cardioversion was performed and worked for about five minutes. Then his doctor prescribed amiodarone. Since being on amiodarone, he has felt much worse. Could the medicine be the problem? He only sits around, and doesn’t even feel like going out for lunch. Another cardioversion is possible in a couple of weeks. Is there any danger to this procedure? — M.C.

ANSWER: Does his doctor know how he feels? He can prescribe many other options for your husband.Atrial fibrillation is an erratic and fast heartbeat. Cardioversion, an electric shock delivered to the fibrillating heart, has a fairly high success rate of restoring a normal beat. Success depends on how long the fibrillation has been present and how large the person’s heart is. The sooner from the onset of fibrillation, the better are the results for cardioversion. The results for longstanding atrial fibrillation are not as good.

Fibrillation can recur after cardioversion. It can recur after taking medicines, too. Danger exists for every single medical procedure. The complications from cardioversion are few and rare.

TODAY IN HISTORY

Today is Wednesday, Oct. 5, the 278th day of 2011. There are 87 days left in the year.Today’s Highlight in History:

On Oct. 5, 1921, the World Series was covered on radio for the first time as Newark, N.J., station WJZ relayed reports from the Polo Grounds, where the New York Giants were facing the New York Yankees. (Although the Yankees won the opener, 3-0, the Giants won the series, 5 games to 3.)On this date:

In 1829, the 21st president of the United States, Chester Alan Arthur, was born in Fairfield, Vt. (Some sources list 1830.)

In 1892, the Dalton Gang, notorious for its train robberies, was practically wiped out while attempting to rob a pair of banks in Coffeyville, Kan.

In 1910, Portugal was proclaimed a republic following the abdication of King Manuel II in the face of a coup d’etat.

In 1931, Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon completed the first non-stop flight across the Pacific Ocean, arriving in Washington state some 41 hours after leaving Japan.

In 1941, former Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis — the first Jewish member of the nation’s highest court — died in Washington at age 84.

In 1947, President Harry S. Truman delivered the first televised White House address as he spoke on the world food crisis.

In 1953, Earl Warren was sworn in as the 14th chief justice of the United States, succeeding Fred M. Vinson.

In 1970, British trade commissioner James Richard Cross was kidnapped in Canada by militant Quebec separatists; he was released the following December.

In 1981, President Ronald Reagan signed a resolution granting honorary American citizenship to Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, credited with saving thousands of Hungarians, most of them Jews, from the Nazis during World War II.

Thought for Today: “America has believed that in differentiation, not in uniformity, lies the path of progress. It acted on this belief; it has advanced human happiness, and it has prospered.” — Louis D. Brandeis (1856-1941).